Certain Selected Histories for christian Recreations vvith their seuerall Moralizations Brought into Englishe verse, and are to be long with seuerall notes: Composed by Richard Robinson Citizen of London |
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[Resigne now Muses all your mone] |
 | Certain Selected Histories for christian Recreations vvith their seuerall Moralizations |  |
[Resigne now Muses all your mone]
The argument.
Mannes life is a waifaryng or trauillyng. To finde forthe three felicities, but in steade of gropyng for the sweete, here we taste of the sower, neither attaine wee our desired porte of rest in this life, but in the worlde to come.
Resigne
now Muses all your mone,
To me amased sillie wight,
Which wanderyng long, & far haue gone,
Uoide of releef, rest and delight,
Doe comfort myne enfebled spirite,
Forced in verse to verifie,
No ioye on yearth of certaintie.
To me amased sillie wight,
Which wanderyng long, & far haue gone,
Uoide of releef, rest and delight,
Doe comfort myne enfebled spirite,
Forced in verse to verifie,
No ioye on yearth of certaintie.
I reade Ganterus so by name,
Did wishe a place of endlesse ioye,
When on a daie to passe it came,
Earely to walke he did emploie,
And so farre went without anoie,
Till he entred a lande into,
Whose kyng deceast but lately tho.
Did wishe a place of endlesse ioye,
When on a daie to passe it came,
Earely to walke he did emploie,
And so farre went without anoie,
Till he entred a lande into,
Whose kyng deceast but lately tho.
It chaunced there after shorte tyme,
The Nobles had intelligence,
Of his manhoode, and doe encline,
Their councells all with diligence,
Hym as their Prince of excellence.
To chuse in royall seate to raigne,
Whereat Ganterus ioyed certaine.
The Nobles had intelligence,
Of his manhoode, and doe encline,
Their councells all with diligence,
Hym as their Prince of excellence.
To chuse in royall seate to raigne,
Whereat Ganterus ioyed certaine.
The night come on his seruaunts weight,
With due attendaunce in degree,
And brought hym to a chamber streight,
Where stoode a bedde bedect richely,
At the heade whereof he then did see,
A Lyon laied, and at the foote,
A Dragon dreadfully whiche lookt.
With due attendaunce in degree,
And brought hym to a chamber streight,
Where stoode a bedde bedect richely,
At the heade whereof he then did see,
A Lyon laied, and at the foote,
A Dragon dreadfully whiche lookt.
Upon the right side of that bed,
An vglie Beare was couched lowe,
And on the lefte side, doune were laid,
Serpents and Todes in lothsome showe,
Hereat Ganterus masde, would knowe,
Of those his seruaunts then present,
What by these strange beasts here was mēt.
An vglie Beare was couched lowe,
And on the lefte side, doune were laid,
Serpents and Todes in lothsome showe,
Of those his seruaunts then present,
What by these strange beasts here was mēt.
Saiyng, is this bed ordained me,
Yea soueraigne Lorde thei aunswerde so,
For tofore this our kynges truely,
Here lodged and died long agoe,
Deuoured by these beasts here loe,
Hereat Ganterus grudgyng saied,
This I mislike all ill apaied.
Yea soueraigne Lorde thei aunswerde so,
For tofore this our kynges truely,
Here lodged and died long agoe,
Deuoured by these beasts here loe,
Hereat Ganterus grudgyng saied,
This I mislike all ill apaied.
Your kyng will I not be therefore,
And so departed from that place,
Ariuyng to an other shore,
Where eke to rule he chosen was,
The night aprochte, then in like case,
He was conducte to take his rest,
Where was a bed with sharpe swords drest.
And so departed from that place,
Ariuyng to an other shore,
Where eke to rule he chosen was,
The night aprochte, then in like case,
He was conducte to take his rest,
Where was a bed with sharpe swords drest.
Whereat he castyng vp his eyes.
Demaunded if he should lye there,
Yea Lorde, eche seruaunt certefies,
Our kyngs in this bed lodged were.
Bereft and are of life so deare,
Saieth he all saue this likes me well,
Your kyng to be I list nought mell.
Demaunded if he should lye there,
Yea Lorde, eche seruaunt certefies,
Our kyngs in this bed lodged were.
Bereft and are of life so deare,
Saieth he all saue this likes me well,
Your kyng to be I list nought mell.
Yet tariyng in those coastes that night,
No soner was Aurora seene,
But he preparde in pensiue plight,
To leaue that lande and Lordship cleene,
And languishyng three daies in teene,
At length it was his lucke to spie,
An olde man in the waie to lye.
No soner was Aurora seene,
But he preparde in pensiue plight,
To leaue that lande and Lordship cleene,
And languishyng three daies in teene,
At length it was his lucke to spie,
An olde man in the waie to lye.
This olde man had in his right hande,
A staffe, and seyng Ganterus come,
Required of hym to vnderstande,
Whence, and whither he would in somme
And who he was to giue reason,
I come from countrees farre saieth he,
My name Ganterus hight truely.
A staffe, and seyng Ganterus come,
Required of hym to vnderstande,
Whence, and whither he would in somme
And who he was to giue reason,
I come from countrees farre saieth he,
My name Ganterus hight truely.
And whether saieth the olde man tho,
Doest thou intende to take thy waie,
Ganterus saied, I must now go,
Three thynges to finde, whiche I ne maie,
What three bee those? tholde man can saie,
Ganterus aunswered his request,
Thus as to hym it seemed best.
Doest thou intende to take thy waie,
Ganterus saied, I must now go,
Three thynges to finde, whiche I ne maie,
What three bee those? tholde man can saie,
Ganterus aunswered his request,
Thus as to hym it seemed best.
The first abundaunce without want,
The seconde ioye without distresse,
The thirde is light not anoyant,
With ircksome and lothsome darknesse,
The olde man heard him thus expresse,
And saied my frende, this staffe doe take,
By this waie straight thy iourney make.
The seconde ioye without distresse,
The thirde is light not anoyant,
With ircksome and lothsome darknesse,
And saied my frende, this staffe doe take,
By this waie straight thy iourney make.
Then shalt thou see before thy face,
A hill bothe tedious, huge and highe,
Toth toppe whereof is a foote pace,
Whiche doeth contain vii. steppes onely,
Upon the same thy trauell trye,
And when toth toppe thou doest attaine,
Thou shalt beholde, and see there plaine.
A hill bothe tedious, huge and highe,
Toth toppe whereof is a foote pace,
Whiche doeth contain vii. steppes onely,
Upon the same thy trauell trye,
And when toth toppe thou doest attaine,
Thou shalt beholde, and see there plaine.
A Pallace princely edified,
There rest, and ere thou further trie,
With staffe at gate three tymes aplied,
Doe knocke. The Porter by and by,
Will aunswere thee, and then pardie,
Shewe hym this staffe, and saie to hym,
That I doe craue thyne enteraunce in,
There rest, and ere thou further trie,
With staffe at gate three tymes aplied,
Doe knocke. The Porter by and by,
Will aunswere thee, and then pardie,
Shewe hym this staffe, and saie to hym,
That I doe craue thyne enteraunce in,
And if he then graunt thee ingresse,
There shalt thou finde thy hartes desire,
Then Ganterus did so doubtlesse,
As he was willed of this olde sier,
And to the Porter commyng nier,
His staffe once seen, receiued he was,
Where he found all thyngs brought to pas.
There shalt thou finde thy hartes desire,
Then Ganterus did so doubtlesse,
As he was willed of this olde sier,
And to the Porter commyng nier,
His staffe once seen, receiued he was,
Where he found all thyngs brought to pas.
The Moralization.
Explane now must the meanyng here,
Who this Ganterus called maie bee,
Eche Christian good maie well appere,
Like to Ganterus, whiche simplie,
Despiseth worldly vanitie,
And is from tyme to tyme enclinde,
These three thyngs to seeke for and finde;
Who this Ganterus called maie bee,
Eche Christian good maie well appere,
Like to Ganterus, whiche simplie,
Despiseth worldly vanitie,
And is from tyme to tyme enclinde,
These three thyngs to seeke for and finde;
The firste aboundance as is saied,
Withouten want or penurie,
The seconde, ioye nothyng delaied,
The thirde light from all darknesse free,
And these obtained can not bee,
But in the life of lastyng ioye,
Our toyle thereto we must imploye.
Withouten want or penurie,
The seconde, ioye nothyng delaied,
The thirde light from all darknesse free,
And these obtained can not bee,
But in the life of lastyng ioye,
Our toyle thereto we must imploye.
O man therefore like iourney make,
With Ganterus for three daies space,
By Praier first doe vndertake,
By Fastyng nexte, this pilgremes race.
Thirdlie, by Almose in any case,
These three daies trauell till thou come,
Vnto the first supposed Kyngdome.
With Ganterus for three daies space,
By Praier first doe vndertake,
By Fastyng nexte, this pilgremes race.
Thirdlie, by Almose in any case,
These three daies trauell till thou come,
Vnto the first supposed Kyngdome.
Some mundaine ioyes there shalt thou finde
And people thee to intertaine,
There worldly pleasures are enclinde,
To chuse thee, as a prince to raigne,
Puffyng thy harte with pride annoyde,
But looke about thy chamber well,
There stands a bedde, its death to tell.
And people thee to intertaine,
To chuse thee, as a prince to raigne,
Puffyng thy harte with pride annoyde,
But looke about thy chamber well,
There stands a bedde, its death to tell.
This bed mans life is likened to,
Where in a short tyme he doeth lye,
Neare to whiche lurcks a Lyon lo,
Sathan, gainst vs his force to trye,
A Dragon eke wee shall espye.
And by hym coucht an vgly Beare,
Whiche waite (as death) on vs echewhere.
Where in a short tyme he doeth lye,
Neare to whiche lurcks a Lyon lo,
Sathan, gainst vs his force to trye,
A Dragon eke wee shall espye.
And by hym coucht an vgly Beare,
Whiche waite (as death) on vs echewhere.
Todes and Serpents there also are,
Thone showes, mannes giltie conscience,
The other doeth his synnes declare,
To accuse and condempne negligence,
Of these hauyng intelligence,
Wee maie doe well quicke spede to make,
This worlde our Kyngdome to forsake.
Thone showes, mannes giltie conscience,
The other doeth his synnes declare,
To accuse and condempne negligence,
Of these hauyng intelligence,
Wee maie doe well quicke spede to make,
This worlde our Kyngdome to forsake.
Then come wee to the seconde lande.
Where carnall pleasures beare the swaie,
(To whom consentyng) out of hande,
Sonnes of perdition vs make thei,
Then to our chamber takyng our waie,
Letts looke toth bed, there shall we see,
The same euen hell it self to bee.
Where carnall pleasures beare the swaie,
(To whom consentyng) out of hande,
Sonnes of perdition vs make thei,
Then to our chamber takyng our waie,
Letts looke toth bed, there shall we see,
The sharpe swordes there doe represent,
(For carelesse gluttons carle) preparde,
Who tastes in hell endlesse torment,
To late repentyng afterwarde,
The handlyng of poore Christe so harde,
If wee well waie this lodgyng place,
Haste vs from carnall Kyngdome apace.
(For carelesse gluttons carle) preparde,
Who tastes in hell endlesse torment,
To late repentyng afterwarde,
The handlyng of poore Christe so harde,
If wee well waie this lodgyng place,
Haste vs from carnall Kyngdome apace.
Then if wee will further to trie,
These three thynges wee desire to finde,
Letts walke on till tholde man wee espie,
Euen Iesus Christe guide of mankinde,
With staffe of faithe for vs assignde,
To giue vs that repentannce pure,
Whiche had) shall our desires procure.
These three thynges wee desire to finde,
Letts walke on till tholde man wee espie,
Euen Iesus Christe guide of mankinde,
With staffe of faithe for vs assignde,
To giue vs that repentannce pure,
Whiche had) shall our desires procure.
The foote pace then wee maie ascende,
Whiche leadeth vs to life sincere,
Seuen stepps it hath, if we pretende,
To finde those three we sought weleare,
Goe we vp these stepps (whiche appere,
The woorkes of mercie seuen to bee,
Our desires then obtaine shall wee.
Whiche leadeth vs to life sincere,
Seuen stepps it hath, if we pretende,
To finde those three we sought weleare,
Goe we vp these stepps (whiche appere,
The woorkes of mercie seuen to bee,
Our desires then obtaine shall wee.
These shall conducte vs to that place,
Whiche wee looke for. But comming than
Toth gate where is all this sollace,
We must knocke thrise with staffe in hand
That is, thus muche to vnderstande,
Contrition, Confession and satisfisance,
Must then helpe vs in thenteraunce.
Whiche wee looke for. But comming than
We must knocke thrise with staffe in hand
That is, thus muche to vnderstande,
Contrition, Confession and satisfisance,
Must then helpe vs in thenteraunce.
The Porter then to vs will stepp,
Gods deuine goodnesse doeth he meane,
Who after this our trauell greate,
Thus furnisht will not vs disdaine,
But gladlie vs will entertaine,
In wealth withouten want, in ioye,
And light, that last voide of all noye.
Gods deuine goodnesse doeth he meane,
Who after this our trauell greate,
Thus furnisht will not vs disdaine,
But gladlie vs will entertaine,
In wealth withouten want, in ioye,
And light, that last voide of all noye.
For whiche the Lorde in mercie guide,
Our goyngs and doyngs to directe,
That from his feare we neuer slide,
But that to our steps we so respecte,
That his gracious gates we maie amplecte,
And with Christe entertained bee,
To rest in endlesse felicitie.
Our goyngs and doyngs to directe,
That from his feare we neuer slide,
But that to our steps we so respecte,
That his gracious gates we maie amplecte,
And with Christe entertained bee,
To rest in endlesse felicitie.
Finis.
| Certain Selected Histories for christian Recreations vvith their seuerall Moralizations | |